6/23/2012 10:13 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

An attorney for Jerry Sandusky said Saturday his client has been placed under suicide watch for his own safety.

Karl Rominger told CNN that Sandusky is being held in protective custody -- separate from other inmates -- as he awaits sentencing.

He explained, "The judge in this case and the warden in this case decided to take a measure not meant to suggest in any way that he is suicidal, but simply to put the precautions in place first and then evaluate later."

Sandusky was found guilty yesterday on 45 of the 48 counts against him. He will be sentenced in about 90 days.

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6/23/2012 5:40 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Jerry Sandusky was found guilty tonight of child molestation, and will almost certainly spend the rest of his life in prison.

The former Penn State assistant football coach was found guilty of 45 of the 48 counts involving 10 boys over a 15 year period.

The jury reached the verdict after deliberating a little more than 20 hours. The judge didn't want to wait until Monday so he had the verdict read at 10 PM ET.

68-year-old Sandusky showed little emotion as the verdicts were read.

He was sent immediately to county jail, where he will await formal sentencing, probably in about 3 months.

8 victims took the stand to testify against Sandusky -- often in graphic detail -- describing how the former PSU coach abused them, from inappropriate touching and group showering, to forced oral and anal sex. Other witnesses described accounts pertaining to the remaining two victims.

Sandusky met many of the children he abused through his Second Mile children's charity ... which Sandusky claimed he founded to help underprivileged boys.

PSU football coaching icon Joe Paterno was fired after the scandal for not taking enough action following a 2001 report that Sandusky had molested a child in the PSU showers. Paterno died shortly after from lung cancer.

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6/22/2012 4:17 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

breaking news

You know you're up the river without a paddle when your own lawyer has no faith in you -- which is exactly the case for former assistant Penn State football coach and accused child rapist Jerry Sandusky.

Jerry's lawyer Joe Amendola just told reporters he'd be "shocked" if the jury acquitted him on all charges -- adding he'll "probably die of a heart attack" if his client beats the rap.

Jerry stands accused of 48 counts of criminal child abuse -- after allegedly abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period while working as the assistant football coach for Penn State.

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6/19/2012 12:21 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Jerry Sandusky told Bob Costas back in November -- "I didn't go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs that I've helped." Yet that damning statement was never aired on NBC, and prosecutors in the molestation case have not played it for the jury.

"NBC Nightly News" aired the statement last night ... As for why NBC didn't air it during the November broadcast, a spokesman told us, "There were a lot of compelling comments in the original interview but we did not have time to include them all."

As for why prosecutors didn't play Sandusky's statement to the jury ... beats us.

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2/13/2012 5:15 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Alleged serial child rapist Jerry Sandusky -- former Penn State asst. football coach -- has been cleared by a judge to visit with his grandkids ... as long as the parents are present during the encounter.

The judge also ruled that Sandusky can receive visits from adults.

The judge was clearly feeling generous to the former football coach ... because he also shot down an attempt by prosecutors to have Sandusky confined indoors as he awaits trial due to a fear that he might rape local children.

Sandusky is already on home confinement ... but prosecutors wanted Sandusky locked indoors over fears that he might make an effort to contact kids at an elementary school behind his home.

But the judge ruled there was not enough evidence to prove Sandusky was making "any effort to contact any of the children by signaling or calling to them, or that he made any gestures directed toward them, or that he acted in any inappropriate way whatsoever."

Sandusky is due back in court in May ... when he will face 52 counts of sexually assaulting boys over a 15-year span.

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1/22/2012 7:22 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Joe Paterno -- the legendary former football coach at Penn State University -- died this morning at the age of 85 ... this according to his family.

His family released a statement that reads, "He died as he lived. He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community."

The front page of the website for the Penn State athletic department was updated with simply a picture of Paterno (see below).

Jerry Sandusky, the longtime assistant coach facing sexual abuse allegations that led to Paterno's dismissal at Penn State, called his death a sad day ... and Paterno "had the courage to practice what he preached" about toughness, hard work and clean competition.

Paterno was the coach at Penn State for 46 years, until he was famously fired by the school last November following the sexual abuse allegations against Sandusky.

In November 2011, his son Scott announced Paterno had a treatable form of lung cancer.

JoePa, as he was known, holds the record for most victories by a Division I football coach with 409.

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1/21/2012 3:33 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Joe Paterno, the legendary former coach at Penn State University, has suffered health complications and is in serious condition ... this according to a rep for the Paterno family.

The spokesperson released a statement, saying in part, "Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications. His doctors have now characterized his status as serious."

His son Jay tweeted, "I appreciate the support & prayers. Joe is continuing to fight."

Another son, Scott, responded to a report that JoePa had passed, tweeting, "Dad is alive but in serious condition. We continue to ask for your prayers and privacy during this time."

Onward State, a student-run newspaper on campus, reported Saturday he had been taken off his respirator. The Citizens Voice, a newspaper in nearby Wilkes-Barre, PA, reported Paterno's wife Sue summoned close friends and longtime staff members to State College hospital.

Paterno was the coach at Penn State for 46 years, until he was famously fired by the school last November following the sexual abuse allegations against his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky.

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12/27/2011 10:55 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Jerry Sandusky and his wife are kicking around the idea of doing a major TV interview TOGETHER ... but first, he must decide ... Oprah or Barbara Walters??

Attorney Joe Amendola reportedly told PennLive.com, Jerry and Dottie Sandusky are "considering speaking together publicly after the new year ... either to Oprah Winfrey, '60 Minutes,' 'Rock Center' or Barbara Walters."

It's unclear if anyone has actually made an offer to the Sanduskys ... or if it's simply wishful thinking on the part of Amendola.

This may explain the shindig at Amendola's house earlier this month, when he invited reporters and producers from various outlets to watch a football game. Amendola held court as all the media types tried to score an interview. The party ended with an NBC producer getting busted for DUI.

As we previously reported, Dottie has lashed out at the allegations in the past ... claiming the accusers simply MADE UP stories about being abused by the former Penn State assistant football coach.

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12/20/2011 9:47 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

An NBC Correspondent was arrested last week after allegedly getting wasted at a party thrown by Jerry Sandusky's lawyer ... TMZ has learned.

The Correspondent -- Jay Gray -- was invited by attorney Joe Amendola to watch the New York Giants game at his house on December 11. Amendola invited reporters from other media outlets as well, all of whom were vying for an exclusive interview with Sandusky.

One source familiar with the party tells TMZ ... Gray got "really drunk" during the game. Sometime after midnight, Gray left the party and began driving. He was stopped by a Pennsylvania State Police officer for a traffic violation, which quickly turned into a DUI stop.

According to police records obtained by TMZ, "He [Gray] had been drinking and was arrested for DUI." The time of arrest was 1:45 AM on December 12.